Hay-loader.



L. H. FRAZER.

HAY LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1909.

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L. H. FRAZER.

HAY LOADBR. APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1909.

935 ,649. Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LAFAYETTE H. FRAZER, or corner, 'IILINoIs.

HAY-LOADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Application filed January 14, 1909. Serial No. 472,307.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFAYETTE H. FRAZER, of Quincy, in the county ofAdams State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Hay-Loaders; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that type of hay loading apparatus adapted togather the hay, straw or similar materials from the ground, elevate thesame to a proper height and deposit itin a wagon or vehicle for removalfrom the field.

The invention consists in certain novel de tails of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described andpointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings l igure l is a side elevationpartly in section of a hay loading machine embodying the presentimprovements. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is anclevation of a portion showing the power conncct-ions for the walkingrakes used in connection with the elevating mechanism.

The loader of the present invention is de signed to be supported by fourwheels, the front wheels indicated by 0 being adapted to turn on acenter pivot and to be connected by relatively short tongue with therear of a wagon or vehicle into which the hay is to be loaded. Ahorizontal frame extends from the front wheels 0 toward the rear. saidframe being preferably formed by side pieces 0, which, at a suitablepoint near their rear ends, are adapted to support the rear axle T andwheels T.

Extending upwardly from the frame 0 in a diagonal direction are sidepieces it supported at their forward ends by verticals It thus formingan upwardly and forwardly extending framework upon which the workingparts of the ele 'ating mechanism may be conveniently mounted. Thisclevating mechanism consists primarily of an endless belt formed bycross slats Z) connected together y chains or belting B and adapted totravel over pulleys lV journaled in the lower end of the frame below thelevel of the axle and pulleys G journaled in the upper end of the framein convenient position to deliver the hay carried up by the elevator toa chute formed by forwardly extending and adjustable slats E pivotallymounted on the shaft l of the pulleys G. in order to provide for theadjustment of the chute E the side pieces 11 of the chute frame areextended in rear of the shaft V and adjustably connected with the mainframe by a rack bar X and spring Y as will be readily understood fromFig. 1 of the drawings.

The elevator belt B is conveniently driven by sprocket wheel and chainconnections U with the ground wheels T and clutch connections of wellknown construction are preferably interposed in order to permit of theloader being turned in a circle and to disconnect the driving mechanismwhile the loader is being transported from place to place. ly passingthe elevator belt about pulleys or drum located below the level of theaxle the belt ishrought into such relation to the ground that the haymay be conveniently deposited thereon by accumulating between the raketeeth A and tile lower end of the elevator belt. Said rake teeth A arepreferably mounted on a cross bar A journaled on the frame and adaptedto be rocked by a hand lever P for raising and lowering the rake teethas is customary in horse hay rakes.

The gathering rake teeth A preferably curve around the lower rear end ofthe elevating belt thereby forcing the hay which is gathered by theteeth up over the lower end of the belt in which position it will restin whole or in part on the rising flights or cross slats and be carriedupwardly thereby, but in order to insure this action and to prevent anypossibility of the hay being blown off or of accumulating in unwieldlyor unmanageable masses, reciprocatory or walking rake bars are providedfor operating over the top of the hay, being carried upwardly by theelevator and such walking rakes in effect constitute a part of the olevating mechanism. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated therake bars referred to are indicated by the reference letters C, two setsbeing provided preferably moving. sinniltaneously in oppositedirections. One set of bars is connected with a reciprocatory cross barL and the other set with the rcciprocatory cross bar L as will beunderstood by reference to Fig. 2 of the too drawings. These rake barsare adapted to rest on the hay being removed and at their lower endsproject through between the rake teeth A, as shown in Fig. 1, thusinsuring a proper cooperation of the elevating mechanism with any haywhich may be accumulated by the said rake teeth A. For operating thebars 0 the cross bars L and L are connected at their opposite ends bylinks K, K, with oppositely projecting crank arms S formed or mounted onthe ends of the shaft V and adapted to be rotated by the elevator beltin its passage around the drum or pulleys G.

Tapered and inclined side boards h/I are provided at each side of theelevating mechanism to prevent the lateral escape of hay and in thepreferred construction the said side boards M are flared more widely atthe bottom than at the top as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the hay which mayinitially project from the sides of the elevating mechanism is pushed intoward the center as it is carried upwardly.

The chute frame E onto which the hay is delivered by the elevatingmechanism is made adjustable in order to deliver or discharge the hayinto the vehicle at various heights, thus it may be turned down duringthe initial loading operation and lifted as hay accumulates in thevehicle, thereby insuring the delivery at the proper height fordistribution on the wagon. Inasmuch, however, as the chute frame,especially if inclined upwardly to deliver the hay at a high elevation,may offer some obstruction to the movement of the hay a walking rake barconveyer mechanism is provided for forcing the hay to advance over oralong the chute to the delivery or discharge point. This last mentionedconveyer mechanism embodies two series of pusher bars C, one seriesconnected with the cross bar H and the other with the cross bar H. Crossbars H and H are connected by links J and J respectively with theoppositely disposed cranks S before referred to, whereby the conveyerrakes are simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions and inaccord with the movements of the series of rakes C for assisting inelevating the hay to the discharge chute.

The several series of rake bars C and C may be conveniently guided orheld against lateral displacement by vertical guide frames D and Dprojecting upwardly from the frames R and E, and the arrangement is.

such that the discharge or conveyer rakes C may follow the movements ofadjustment of the chute E whereby they are adapted to cooperate with thehay moving over said chute regardless of the position of the latter. Therake bars C and C it will be understood are provided with inclined teethor projections 0 on their under sides whereby they will engage the hayduring their up ward movement but will move freely in a downwarddirection.

In the preferredarrangement of the parts, the gearing for the elevatorbelt is such that the belt will move at a speed equal to the speed ofmovement of the elevator over the surface of the ground and the upwardmovement of the rake bars practically corresponds to the speed ofmovement of the ele vator belt thereby preventing any interference ofone with the movements of the other and preventing any tendency of thehay to move in a direction contrary to the direction in which itis to beelevated.

At no point during the elevation of the hay is it left unconfined andconsequently at no point can it be blown from the elevator, even at thedelivery end for the delivery end of the chute may be brought down closeto the surface of the load and the hay deposited directly from the chutewithout being dropped through the air.

The apparatus is adapted to rake hay from the windrow as well as fromthe swath.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a hay loader, the combination of the frame having the supportingwheels, the upwardly and forwardly inclined elevator belt mounted onpulleys journaled in said frame at top and bottom and collecting raketeeth in rear of the lower end of said belt, of the walking rake barsarranged parallel to and above the belt with their lower ends projectingthrough between the collecting rake teeth and mechanism operated by thebelt for reciprocating said rake bars, whereby said bars assist inelevating the hay.

2. In a hay loader, the combination with the frame, ground wheels,upwardly extending elevator belt mounted on pulleys journaled in theframe at top and bottom the latter below the level of the axle, drivingconnections between the ground wheels and lower pulley and collectorrake teeth located in rear of the lower end of the belt, of thereciprocatory rake bars extending substantially parallel with and abovethe belt with their lower ends projecting through between the collectingrake teeth, oppositely disposed crank arms driven by the belt andconnections between said crank arms and reciprocatory rake bars forreciprocating alternate bars simultaneously in opposite directionswhereby said bars assist in elevating the hay.

3. In a hay loader, the combination with the frame, ground wheels,elevating belt journaled 0n pulleys at top and bottom of said frame,collector rake teeth located in rear of the lower end of said belt, andreciprocatory rake bars located above the belt and movable toward andfrom the same, of

a delivery chute pivotally mounted on the upper end of the frame, inposition to receive the hay from the belt, means for holding saidpivoted chute in adjusted position, conveyer rake bars located abovesaid chute and means for reciprocating said last mentioned bars drivenby the belt.

4. In a hay loader, the combination with the frame, ground wheels forsupporting the same, upwardly extending elevator belt mounted on pulleysjournaled in the top and bottom of the frame respectively, collectorrake teeth in rear of the lower end of said belt, reciprocatory rakebars located above the belt and in position to overlie the hay beingelevated by the belt, of a delivery chute pivotally mounted on the upperend of the frame in position to receive the hay from the belt,reciprocatory conveyer rake bars located above and adjustable with saidchute, oppositely disposed crank arms driven by the belt and linkconnections between said crank arms and rake bars for reciprocating saidbars.

In a hay elevator, the combination with the frame, ground wheelssupporting said frame, elevator belt mounted on pulleys journaled in thetop and bottom of said frame respectively, and collector rake teeth inrear of the lower end of said belt, of a delivery chute pivotallymounted on the upper end of the frame in position to receive the hayfrom the belt, adjusting mechanism for holding said chute at the desiredinclination, independent reciprocatory rake bars located above the beltand chute re speetively, and driving mechanism for reciprocating saidbars in unison.

LAFAYETTE H. FRAZER. lVitnesses L. E. EBIDIONS, L. E. EMMoNs, Jr.

